Rick, welcome. You should be very pleased with the results you'd get from a system including M80s and QS8s. You seem to be spending needless time(and money?)worrying over amplification, however. The M80s are fairly easy to drive and typical receivers anywhere in the 100-150 watt area are plenty for all safe listening levels.

As to the Bryston, it certainly isn't "pretty much accepted", at least by those knowledgeable in audio amplifier design technology, that they "can sound bright". Such a basic flaw in frequency response would indicate grossly incompetent engineering by Bryston, and this certainly isn't the case. Bryston units have flat response to well beyond audibility and there's no need to be worrying about how they do as a "match".

The M80s don't need "high end"(i.e., high priced) amplification, but if you choose to spend your money on such equipment any of those under serious consideration would be satisfactory.

One of your considerations may be that each of these high power amplifiers (Axiom or Bryston) should have its own dedicated AC power circuit. One circuit is enough for the more electrically efficient Axiom A1400-8 to provide 7 (or 8) channels of amplification while the multiple amp Bryston configurations would require at least another dedicated AC circuit to achieve optimum performance.

I had an A1400-8 that eventually succumbed to the relay problem but Axiom replaced it with one that has improved relays. No further issues after 11 months.

cv-- why do you automatically say it was an "upsell"?? I just don't recall what it was. It was white. The Audioquest cable was inexpensive to me but maybe not to the next person. The discussion was about cable and interactions not wether I needed it in order to enjoy the B&W's. LIke I say some can tell the difference and some can't and some don't want to and some refuse to. To say I'm being "sold" on "the price"or "the name" is rather insulting to say the least. This type of topic has been beat to death over and over as far back as I can remember. Really, I don't care. I go by what I hear and my taste for my situation.Iv'e heard differences between custom made tube gear from the likes of Space-Tech Labs in Vancouver and some name brand gear advertised in all the high end mags. The next guy might not. So what? Kinda like saying I can't taste the difference between an average amber and a bottle of Appleton Legacy. Why pay $15,000 for a custom cut Polar Bear diamond when you can get one twice the weight for much less? I can tell the difference. Others don't care. Why pay big bucks for an English type show Labrador Retriever when the farmers $300 pup will still be a lab and still be black and still have an awesome temperament. I enjoy Labs and am willing to pay the bucks for something that is important to me and makes me happy. Would I pay more than $15 for a bottle of Merlot? Not on your life! It's all grape juice to me. To each is own, but I never, ever presume that someone else can or cannot tell the difference in whatever the subject is..... However, is someone can and has heard the two amps in question, I'd like to hear their thoughts.

I guess I should have worded my query differently. lol . It's not that the Bryston itself sounds bright but more likely it is so neutral that it will bring out the worst of associated gear.. I've researched enough to come to the conclusion that this can be a problem in some systems. I'm not into high spl levels. To the contrary... for example one of the most enjoyable setups I had was Roksan Xerxes/Rega/Blue Point, YBA Integre' and Totem 1 speakers. 50watts/ch was plenty for me. Not to say I don't enjoy Metallica at high spl's but Buddy Guy at moderate levels is more my thing. I'm about quality not quantity. But to get some of that quality requires the right amp - for me.

I didn't say it automatically. It was based on the details provided, that being that the expensive cables sounded better. You're right that I sounded insulting, though. I didn't mean it to come across that harshly. The main issue is that it's mentioned time and again here that these stark differences seem to disappear in proper double-blind listening tests, so it would take more than one anecdote to shift the generally accepted view on this message board. That being said, I've also never participated in a listening test. I think the experience would humble me as far as things that I think I can hear the difference in, like the new lossless HD audio codecs versus the old lossy ones.

The Audioquest cable was inexpensive to me but maybe not to the next person. The discussion was about cable and interactions not wether I needed it in order to enjoy the B&W's. LIke I say some can tell the difference and some can't and some don't want to and some refuse to.

I think that there is probably an audible difference in some of these more expensive cables or else there wouldn't be people buying them in the first place. They are most likely altering the frequency response somewhere almost like an EQ would do. I just seems to me to be an expensive way to EQ your system. One can purchase a separate EQ or even a receiver/preamp with Audyssey in it an probably create the same effect. The scary thing is that many of these high priced cables cost nearly as much as a good AVR.

The Audioquest cable was inexpensive to me but maybe not to the next person. The discussion was about cable and interactions not wether I needed it in order to enjoy the B&W's. LIke I say some can tell the difference and some can't and some don't want to and some refuse to.

I think that there is probably an audible difference in some of these more expensive cables or else there wouldn't be people buying them in the first place. They are most likely altering the frequency response somewhere almost like an EQ would do. I just seems to me to be an expensive way to EQ your system. One can purchase a separate EQ or even a receiver/preamp with Audyssey in it an probably create the same effect. The scary thing is that many of these high priced cables cost nearly as much as a good AVR.

I wouldn't discount the placebo effect and the owners own cognitive dissonance in examples of expensive cables making a substantial audible difference either.

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I’m armed and I’m drinking. You don’t want to listen to advice from me, amigo.